The freezing snowmageddon hitting Washington is having the reverse effect of heating up the political debate over global warming and the corresponding 'cap and trade' policy. The 'conservatives' are claiming that the hard snowstorm repudiates the global warming theory, while the 'liberals' like Keith Olbermann are calling the conservatives stupid and claiming that the bad weather is proof of global warming changing the climate in unexpected ways. I find both sides lacking in credibility and thoughtfulness. One bad winter doesn't prove or disprove anything.
If you want a very thoughtful (and persuasive) argument on the bigger issues here, written by a global warming skeptic, read this post by Douglas Hoffman. I'm not saying its the final argument, but I'm leaning in its direction for the time being. (I'm sure there's a thoughtful and persuasive argument on the pro-AGW side as well, but I just haven't looked for it.)
One more point. One hears about 'tipping points' a lot in the global warming debate. I sense that we have definitely reached one tipping point, where the 'global warming movement' is in sharp decline, at least in public estimation and political power. Or to use a different analogy, the 'global warming' bubble has now burst. That doesn't necessarily mean they're wrong. But the momentum has clearly shifted and they are on the defensive.
One more point. One hears about 'tipping points' a lot in the global warming debate. I sense that we have definitely reached one tipping point, where the 'global warming movement' is in sharp decline, at least in public estimation and political power. Or to use a different analogy, the 'global warming' bubble has now burst. That doesn't necessarily mean they're wrong. But the momentum has clearly shifted and they are on the defensive.
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